Pallone’s 2025 Preseason All OAA Defense

<!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>The OAA houses a massive amount of talent. The Red, White, Blue, and Gold all sport some of the most competitive interleague play in Michigan. I'm always impressed by the competitive balance, parity, and immense talent in these leagues. Here, I'll do my best to draft an unstoppable defense from the OAA! </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:heading --> <h2 class="wp-block-heading">All OAA Defense</h2> <!-- /wp:heading --> <!-- wp:separator --> <hr class="wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity" /> <!-- /wp:separator --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>DE - [player_tooltip player_id='762939' first='Joshua' last='Hammonds'] - Groves</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Hammonds was a problem last season. His IQ stands out to me. Against bad offensive linemen, Hammonds is excellent at sidestepping the block and blowing up the play. He'll have another great statistical year. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>DE - [player_tooltip player_id='1684275' first='Myles' last='Smith'] - Farmington</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Good size, long, and all-around great upside. Guys like Myles make me excited about Farmington's defense. I hope this is Myles' breakout season. I'm betting on it. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>DT - [player_tooltip player_id='1298716' first='William' last='Reed'] - Oak Park</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Easy choice. One of my most discussed players this offseason. In a league dominated by the run game, Reed will have plenty of chances to eat. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>DT - [player_tooltip player_id='1148708' first='Jeremiah' last='Benson'] - West Bloomfield</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Freakishly athletic for an interior defensive lineman. An extremely promising asset in a league full of great offensive line play. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>LB - [player_tooltip player_id='551269' first='Carter' last='Hladki'] - Groves</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Broke out last season. Everything you'd want from an off-ball linebacker. Reacted quickly, played fast, with few missed tackles. Played well against the best teams on Groves' schedule, and should have another excellent season. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>LB - [player_tooltip player_id='1148739' first='AJ' last='Krupa'] - Oxford</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>One of the most well-rounded linebackers in Michigan. Can blitz, drop back in coverage, or stop the run. I'm especially impressed with his ability to quickly work through blocks. Should be able to earn a few sacks and force a couple of turnovers this season. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>LB - [player_tooltip player_id='1613682' first='Alex' last='Hensley'] - Lake Orion</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Textbook play as an off-ball mike LB. Excels when blitzing. Hits like a truck. Stops everything between the tackles. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>LB - [player_tooltip player_id='1316908' first='Griffin' last='Boman'] - Clarkston</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>You'd be hard-pressed to find a player with more grit. Extremely high effort every down on both sides of the ball. Able to deal and absorb contact. Able to play on-ball, off-ball, and is probably the most explosive blitzer in the OAA. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>DB - [player_tooltip player_id='1686403' first='Cameron' last='Love'] - Clarkston</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Fundamentally sound DB. I was impressed with Love's performance at the Midweek MACtion camp at Eastern Michigan. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>DB - [player_tooltip player_id='567009' first='Jajuan' last='Jones'] - Harper Woods</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>The Central Michigan commit is poised for another great season. Smart, jumps routes, good ball skills, etc. Checks a ton of boxes. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>DB - [player_tooltip player_id='1613799' first='Kaliq' last='Robinson'] - West Bloomfield</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Kaliq has been steadily improving over the years. I liked what he put on tape last season. Heading into this year, he'll be a senior leader. A ton of opportunities are coming, as West Bloomfield faces many pass-heavy teams. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>DB - [player_tooltip player_id='1148702' first='Ron'Dre' last='Austion'] - Oak Park</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Another dude who has steadily improved over the years. Extremely fast, and has a chance to be one of the most productive DBs in the OAA. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>ATH - [player_tooltip player_id='1148720' first='Lukas' last='Boman'] - Clarkston</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Couldn't leave Lukas out of this. Multi-positional. Can count on Lukas to play well no matter where you put him! </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph -->